This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.
Clips and fasteners can be used to retain trim panels and other components (e.g., exterior moldings, mirrors, instrument panels, etc.) relative to a body portion of an automobile or other vehicle. In some instances, the fasteners can include a tether that controls the release or disengagement of the trim panel from the body portion. For example, in the event an air bag or other occupant restraint system is deployed, the trim panel can disengage from the body portion. The tether can help to control the movement of the trim panel (e.g., distance, direction, speed, etc.) relative to the body portion.
Known fasteners are designed for a specific application. This means that complex new molds must be created to accommodate even simple changes in the length of the tether. It would be desirable to provide a new fastener design and manufacturing method that permits the use of the same molds for multiple applications. It can also be desirable to provide the tether of different material or characteristics than the material of the fastener ends. In addition, the functionality of common fastener designs can be limited by packaging and space constraints within the vehicle.